Here are the benefits of switching to outdoor solar lights, a checklist to guide your shopping, and a list of the best options for lighting your way home. They charge throughout the day to turn on automatically at dusk and will give you eight solid hours of pathway lighting, helping direct you and guests throughout your yard safely at night. Tisha Domingo, chief marketing and product officer at Brightech, adds, “Whether you want to create a party-ready patio or your own personal retreat to relax under, adjusting the number of strands, placement, or length of the Glow Solar Hanging String Lights can really change the mood.” Plus, these lights have a backup for cloudy or rainy days, with an option for Micro USB charging. Four hours will get these lights to a full charge. Bulbs can be replaced individually if necessary—an added bonus. These lights are IP 65 certified and have an 800 mAh rechargeable battery, guaranteeing eight to 10 hours of light at night. They are also IP 65 certified and offer a backup USB charge for days when the sunlight is not quite strong enough for a charge. These IP 65–certified lights have a 2700 mAH rechargeable battery, so you know they mean business, plus, they’ll stay on for longer when you use them only in motion or remote control mode rather than in continuous use. Solar lights can be placed alongside pathways, pools, gardens, doors, and more to provide both ambient and practical task lighting and to add a twinkly touch to the garden you’ve worked hard to nurture. Here are some of their top benefits: Alan Duncan, founder of the Solar Panels Network, explains, “The LED lighting uses a battery charged through solar power during the day and provides lighting during the night. This process repeats itself daily.” As soon as the sun goes down, the solar lights will turn that daylight energy into light. You’ll invest upfront to purchase the solar lights, but sunlight is free. Even if you decide to splurge on a hardwired system, that’s a one-time investment. This offers significant savings over running electricity and outlets throughout your outdoor space. These are the best outdoor solar lights based on affordability, functionality, style, and the shopping criteria above.